Dual trafficway



June 6, 1939. J. B. STRAUSS v DUAL TRAFFIGWAY Filed Nov. 9, 1937 FIGI.

FIG. 2.

FIGA.

INVENTOR: JOSEPH B. STRAUSS.

ATTORNEY Patented June 6, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE DUALTRAFFICWAY Application November 9, 1937, Serial No. 173,620

3 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in dual trafiicways and, moreparticularly, to the structural arrangement of rails and treadways onroadbeds.

Among the objects of the invention is to provide a traffic way adaptableto the column use of flanged railway rolling stock and motor vehiclesadapted to highway traffic on resilient tires.

Another object is to adapt the conventional railway roadbed to dual.traffic of this nature without disturbing the cross ties, ballast,switches, and other standard equipment.

Another object is to reduce the overhead expense of railways andincrease the. margin of safety for high speed motor traffic by bringingit under the control of block systems, train dispatching, easy grades,underpasses, and the other safety measures controlling railway traific.

Other objects and advantages will appear as the description progresses.

The ever increasing congestion of urban population necessitates acorollary rapid transit means to relieve peak loads for localdistribution. There is the further necessity for high speed passengerand freight motor units for long hauls at shorter intervals intermediatethe running time of heavier train schedules to avoid long waits andoverhauling.

In this specification and the accompanying drawing the invention isdisclosed in its preferred form. But it is to be understood that it isnot limited to this form, because it may be embodied in other formswithin the purview of the claims following the description.

In the one sheet of drawings:

Fig. 1 is a cross section of a conventional railway roadbed having thisinvention incorporated therewith.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of a portion of the same.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of a section of the same.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail in cross section taken on the line IV-IVFig. 3.

In detail, the construction illustrated in the drawing, referring firstto Fig. 1, comprises the conventional roadbed I, having the cross-ties 2embedded therein and ballasted in the usual manner. The conventionalsteel rails 3, 3 are laid On top of the cross-ties 2 to which they areheld by the spikes 4, 4. It is the general practice to interpose steelplates, such as 5, between the bases of the rails and the cross-ties toprevent the rails from cutting into the ties and to hold the spikes inproper position.

The present contribution to the art relates particularly to the paralleltreadways 6-6 on one or both sides of each of the rails 3, 3. Thesetreadways are preferably composed of reinforced concrete inprefabricated sections laid end to end in lengths determined byconvenience in handling or consistent with the length of the standardrails 3, to match the spacing of the cross-ties 2.

In forming these sections 6, the length of angle bar 1 is placed in amold, not shown, with the base angle 8 resting upon the bottom of themold. The length of T bar 9 spaced from the angle bar is similarlyplaced in the mold. The reinforcing bars I0l0 are then placed within themold in spaced relation to each other, the angle bars I and 9, and thebottom of the mold. Proper concrete composed of cement and aggregates isthen poured into the space between the angle bars I and 9 and the bottomand opposite ends of the mold. This structure lends itself to rapid massproduction methods. After the preliminary set of the concrete, theangular end and bottom mold, not shown, can be removed and the sections6 permitted to cure, which releases the molds for further duplication ofthe sections. The external flange ll of the T bar 9 is perforated ornotched to receive the spikes l2, driven into the cross-ties 2, to holdthe treadway sections 6 in spaced relation to the adjacent rails 3, asin Fig. 3.

At switches, crossings, .and intersections the surface of the adjacentsections 6 are inclined as at [3 to the level of the rails 3 or thesurrounding pavement where the highway vehicle leaves the railway. Thewidth of each and the spacing of the treadways B will be determined bythe wheel gauge and placement of the pneumatic tires of the highwayvehicles running thereon. For dual wheel arrangement, see my co-pendingapplication entitled Railways, filed March 29, 1937, bearing Serial No.133,600.

Referring to Fig. 1, the treadways are placed to accommodate a specialform of vehicle having independently steered and driven wheels I 4, M,with a relatively wide wheel gauge and .a corresponding placement of thetreadways, which are wider at the top 6 than the form shown in Fig. 4adapted to lighter traffic. The vehicle shown is a high speed coach ormotorbus, mounted upon the pneumatic tires l4, l4 tracking on thetreadways 6, 6.

The coach is provided with the retractable pilot truck having theflanged wheels l1, I! on the axle [8 extending between the brackets l9,I9 pivoted to the forward end of the traction trucks of the coach. Whenrunning on the railway, as in Fig. 1, the pilot truck engages the rails3, 3 to guide the vehicle and maintain the alinement of the tires on thetreadways 6, 6. When the vehicle is manually steered, as on the highway,the pilot truck is retracted. For further particulars regarding thisdual steering gear see my co-pending application filed November 30,1937, entitled Rapid transit systems bearing Serial Number 177,215.

In precasting the sections of the treadways 6 as described, it isdesirable to pour the concrete from above so that the rough aggregatewill remain at the surface to improve non-skid and tractive efiiciency;the richer grout gravitates to the lower levels to enclose thereinforcing bars H1 in a denser and less pervious stratum. For traflicby lighter vehicles, the side bars I and 9 may be omitted, but they givegreat stability to the treadways for the heavier high speed vehicleswhich may deflect treadways of less strength. Concrete as used herein isintended to include bituminous mixtures and other suitable substances.

The traction surfaces of the sections 6 can be brought up level with thetops of the rails instead of below as shown, if desired, to avoid thenecessity for the inclines l3. The width of the treadways can beincreased, as in Fig. 4, and properly banked on curves in accordancewith engineering practice. It is desirable also to give the top plane ofthe treadways a slight camber or crown to provide drainage and to takeadvantage of the tractive tendency of a rolling tire to climb to the topof a laterally inclined plane.

Any suitable form of rigid members may be substituted for the angle barsI and 9 which may be laid in continuous length with the concrete pouredbetween, instead of in sectional lengths,

as shown, if desired. In elevated trams and similar structures nothaving cross-ties, the treadways can be otherwise supported. In theabsence of the rails 3, the pilot wheels [1, IT can be guided by eitherof the rigid bars 1 or 9; this is particularly advantageous where theelevated treadways are laid upon the ground or upon a paved highway.

Having thus described this invention, what is claimed and desired to besecured by Letters Patent is:

1. A duplex traflicway including the road bed and ballasted cross-tiesand parallel rails of a conventional railway track; reinforced concreterunways adjacent and colinear with said rails, said runways composed ofindependent end spaced sections, each section having lateral metal anglebar sides, one of said bars having a continuous lateral flange extendingacross and spiked to said cross-ties for easy placement and removal ofsaid sections relative to said rails.

2. A traificway including a base; and parallel interspaced runwaysconsisting of prefabricated concrete sections laid end to end and havingan angle bar forming one lateral side and an inverted T bar forming theother lateral side of each section. V

3. A trafiicway including a base; and parallel interspaced runwaysconsisting of prefabricated concrete sections laid end to end and havinga coextensive angle bar forming one lateral side of each section, thehorizontal flange of said angle bar extending under said section; and aninverted T bar forming the other lateral side of each section, onehorizontal flange of said T bar extending under said section and theopposite flange of said T bar being fixed to said base.

JOSEPH B. STRAUSS.

Cal

